Leave Behind
by Moonlight Silhouette
Summary: [COMPLETE] Roger finally gets his chance at fame while he's in Santa Fe. His shot at Glory. When Roger calls Mark to tell him the good news, he's forced to make a decision. A decision he really doesn't want to make.
1. Chapter 1

**A.N - First time Rent writer so I would appreciate it if you guys should tell me whether or not I should continue with this. I own nothing. All credit goes to Johnathon Larson.**

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**Chapter 1**

Santa Fe was different to New York City. It was warmer, for one thing. Quieter and less busy. But, Roger supposed that it would be the same everywhere. Angel's voice came into his head.

"_It's a comfort to know," She had said whilst walking down the subway steps. "When you're singing the 'Hit the Road' blues, that anywhere else you can possibly go after New York would be … a Pleasure Cruise."_

Roger smiled to himself. She was right. Angel was always right, he realised. But now she had gone. And he'd left New York for Santa Fe. Left New York, Mark, Collins and …

"Mimi." Her name fell from his lips in a whispered sigh.

He saw her everywhere. From in the street where he was performing to sitting in the bars that he sometimes played at to test the public's reactions to his music.

Roger was walking to the bar he was scheduled to play at, when he thought he saw Mimi to his left, leaning against a wall, smoking. He turned around quickly hoping to catch her before she disappeared. She always disappeared. It only took the time for Roger to blink before she vanished again this time. She had gone.

"Because you left her behind in New York." Roger muttered, angry at himself. "Of course she's not going to be here."

It had been a month since he'd left New York after Halloween. Now it was nearing December and was getting colder, even in New Mexico. He hadn't spoken to anyone from back home in a while - conflicting schedules, he supposed.

Roger went about the motions of preparing for his set. The first night he had performed again was at on open mic night two weeks after his arrival in the city. He had chosen to sing one of his old bands songs.

The rush of performing in front of a large audience had come racing back to him after that. Roger remembered why he'd loved it so much.

He picked up his guitar and took a deep breath, calming himself before walking into the bright stage light.

"Uh, hey everyone," He addressed the audience, speaking into the microphone. "It's me again."

The audience applauded wildly causing Roger to laugh deeply.

"Alright," he chuckled. "Let's see if you feel the same way after you hear this."

Then he began to play. It wasn't exactly a Roger Davis original, the song he'd chosen to sing that night - his band had played it all the time back in college, before they'd all gone their separate ways - but he had tweaked a few chords and changed a few lyrics to make it his own. Besides, these people from Santa Fe didn't know the difference.

"_This,_"Roger sang the last line with his eyes closed, putting as much effort behind it as he could. "_Is The End._"

His fingers danced along the guitar strings, pulling the song to a close.

The crowd once again applauded wildly and whistled their encouragement.

"Thank you!" Roger called out to the crowd before leaving the stage and mumbling to himself.

"Roger Davis?"

The man in question jerked his head upwards at the unfamiliar voice he heard.

"Maybe," he answered. "Who wants to know?"

"Oh, my apologies," the man said whilst handing Roger a business card, "I'm Michael Turner from SF Records. We've heard your music before tonight and were wondering if you would consider recording a demo with us."

Roger took the offered business card and stared down at it in shock. This could be it. His one chance at Glory.

"Oh, um, Mr Turner, was it?" Roger managed to splutter out.

"Call me Mike," Mike smiled kindly.

"Right, Mike. Okay," Roger was cursing his inability to make sense at that moment. "Listen, I'm thrilled to be offered, but I would appreciate it if you could give me some time to think about this?"

Mike blinked, obviously not used to having people answer that way.

"Of course," was all he said, however. "My number is on the card. Call us when you reach a decision."

Roger's beeper went off then.

"Shit," he mumbled to himself, turning off the beeper, before looking up at the businessman in front of him again. "Yeah, I'll be sure to do that. I've got to go."

Roger barrelled past Mike without waiting for a 'goodbye' and towards his 'changing room' - which was really only a small closet where Roger kept his stuff while performing - to get his AZT.

Taking the small white pill in his fingers, Roger looked at in disgust before swallowing it with a grimace. Then he sat down on his guitar case and thought about what had just happened.

He'd been offered a record deal. Strange that he hadn't been noticed back in New York where he had a higher possibility of making it, but Roger wasn't going to dwell on that information.

He couldn't help the smile that overtook his face. This was it. His chance to leave something behind. Not only one song as he'd originally planned but possibly an entire album. There was no way he was going to pass up this opportunity.

Roger quickly gathered his coat and guitar and after receiving an awkward congratulatory hug from the owner of the bar, he raced back towards his motel, eager to tell his best friend the good news.

Opening the door to his cheap room, Roger dumped his stuff by the door and jumped onto the bed, snatching up the phone as he did so.

He was practically jumping with excitement as he dialled the familiar number.

"Speeeaaak!"

Not even receiving the answer phone could dampen his mood. Mark hardly ever picked up the phone.

"Hey, Mark. It's Roger," he babbled in a rush to get everything on his mind out into the open. "Look, I've got some really good news -"

"Roger." Mark said as he picked up the phone, cutting Roger off.

"What's wrong?" Roger knew instantly that there was something wrong by his friend's tone. Roger's news could wait.

"I really wish you were here right now." Mark stated.

"That's what's wrong?"

"No." Mark sighed. "There's something … With Mimi."

Immediately Roger's heart skipped a beat and a cold shiver ran through him.

"What about Mimi?" He asked, shutting his eyes and bracing himself for the worst.

"She's missing."


	2. Chapter 2

**A.N - Thank you so much to my first, and only, reviewer - x Step On Me x****

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**Chapter 2**

"What do you mean, she's missing?" Roger's voice was void of all emotion.

Mark sighed and ran his fingers through his short hair. Roger was not going to like this.

"After you left," he began, "Benny paid for Mimi to go into rehab. She stopped turning up about two weeks ago."

Roger breathed in deeply, clutching at the phone so tightly that his fingers turned white with the force.

"She quite her job at the Catscratch Club as well." Mark continued.

"She loved that job," Roger whispered softly.

"None of us has heard from her in a while."

Roger felt panic grip him as all the different possibly scenarios jumped through his head. What if she'd gone back to the drugs? What if she'd overdosed?

Oh god.

"What about her apartment?" Roger asked quietly.

"Emptied." Came Mark's sad reply. "We couldn't find a note, or anything else for that matter. We think that she's …" He sucked in a breath. "We think that she's been living on the street."

Roger let out an anguished cry. It was cold here in Santa Fe in the nights, let alone in New York.

"I was on my way out," Mark admitted when he was met with Roger's silence. "I'm late meeting the others - we were on our way out to search the park."

"Yeah, sure." Roger urged. "Go."

'_Find her,' _He added silently. _'Please.'_

"Yeah," Mark knew what Roger was thinking. "I'll try. Hey, what was your news anyway?"

His news? Roger shut his eyes. Oh yeah. The Record Deal. The deal he'd been so excited about five minutes ago. Suddenly it didn't seem so important.

"Oh, that." He replied shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. Just … keep me updated, yeah? I don't care about the time difference or whatever. Just, call."

"Course I will," came Mark's understanding voice. "Any time. If I hear something, I'll call."

"Thanks."

"Well, I should go. Bye, Roger."

"Bye." Roger whispered to the dial tone that rang hauntingly in his ear.

He hung up the phone and sighed, laying his head down on the pillows behind him. His arm came up to cover his eyes. Blocking out the horrible thoughts that seemed insistent on plaguing him.

This, to him, was one thousand times worse than finding April in the bathtub. Sure with April, it hurt. Badly. But after the grief, that was that. He knew that April was never coming back. With Mimi, there was the feeling of not knowing. The feeling of being powerless to protect her the way he could of if he had stayed in New York. With April it had been definite. With Mimi, no one knew if she was alive or dead.

An image came to him, unbidden, of Mimi's beautiful face, pale with the cold. Her pretty brown eyes shut in death as powdery white snow gathered in her brown, curly hair like an ethereal halo.

"Oh god." Roger moaned. "Please don't be dead. _Please_, God, Don't let her be dead."

The last time Roger had cried was still too recent in his memory. It had been at Angel's funeral.

Despite this, Roger cried again that night. He fell asleep that night with visions of Mimi dancing through his head and tear tracks staining his cheeks.

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The next morning, Roger had a minute in which to enjoy the blissful ignorance of having just woken up. The time in the morning where the events of the day before were still mixed up with last night's dreams.

But then everything came back to him in a rush.

An excited phone call to Mark - for a reason he couldn't remember, or didn't seem as important - which ended with the horrible news of Mimi's disappearance.

He was still entertaining the thought that the whole ordeal had been some kind of terrible nightmare an hour later as he ordered a coffee from a nearby diner. He knew it wasn't of course. But right now he was willing to hope it was. Anything to make him feel less guilty for being thousands of miles away from his friend's - one in particular - during their time of need.

'_What if Mimi is living, cold and hungry, on the streets of New York while you're living easy in Santa Fe?_

He didn't even want to think about that. If she died and he had stayed in Santa Fe not having done a single thing to even try and prevent it … He didn't want to think about it.

"I've got to go back home." Roger said to himself, throwing down enough money for the untouched, cold coffee he had ordered. "Back to New York."

The journey back to his room was almost non-existent in his memory, he ran so fast.

'I'm coming Mimi.' Played like a mantra in Roger's head as he packed his belongings in an old battered suitcase.

His belongings weren't much. Just a few changes of clothes as well as his guitar and bottle of AZT - which never left his person.

He kneeled down next to his guitar, picking up the coat that lay next to it. A small business card lay on the floor, revealed when the coat hiding it was moved.

Curious, Roger studied it. His heart sank as he remembered.

The Record Deal he had been so excited about last night. The Record Deal which he had forgotten about in light of the news about Mimi.

Roger sat on his bed, slowly, his face sinking into his hands.

What was he going to do?

What was more important : His 'One Blaze of Glory', or Mimi?

The answer should have been obvious. One or the other and that was that. Just two choices.

Sighing, Roger reached for the phone and dialled the number that he had been studying so intently on the business card.

"Mike Turner." Came the short reply on the other end of the phone.

"Hey, uh, Mike," Roger said, unsure on how formally he should address the other man. "It's Roger Davis. From last night."

Roger took out his battered notebook and stared down at the lyrics that littered the page as Mike rambled on about how this could be an amazing opportunity for him.

Didn't he know it.

"Yeah," was all roger said though. "I was wondering if we could talk? I have a few questions I'd like to ask you."

After arranging to meet in an hour at a café in a much more up-scale part of town than Roger's motel was in, he hung up the phone and shrugged on his jacket before leaving the room and starting the walk towards his destination.

He didn't even try to ignore how almost everything he saw on the way reminded him of Mimi.


	3. Chapter 3

**A.N - Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I think I replied to them. If not, I'm sorry. And promise to from now on.**

**Hope you enjoy this.

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Chapter 3

Telling Roger that Mimi was missing had been one of the hardest things Mark had ever had to do. It was obvious that, even though the couple had broken up, they still loved each other.

They were both just too stubborn.

And it was after the conversation that Mark had had with his best friend - as well as the search, which proved to be unsuccessful, down the park - that triggered Mark's urge to search Mimi's apartment again. For something he could have missed.

"Hey, Marky?"

Mark rolled his eyes at Maureen's ridiculous nickname for him.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"What are we doing here?"

He could hear the crunch of Cheetos as Maureen munched on a bag full of them.

"Trying to find something that would help to explain Mimi's disappearance."

"Oh." Said Maureen. "Okay."

With a sigh, Mark stopped his perusal of the room and turned to face his ex-girlfriend.

"You could help, you know."

Maureen rolled her eyes.

"Well, duh." She replied. "But I don't know what we're looking for!"

She leaned against a wall, staring at Mark and making him feel uncomfortable. Collins was away at MIU and Joanne had to work. Seeing as Mark didn't want to look through the apartment on his own, Maureen had been his only option.

"I told you." Mark cried. "Anything! The place has been emptied, Maureen. That means that if you find anything, it could help us. Give us a clue as to why Mimi left."

Maureen froze with her hand in the bag of cheetos as she thought about what Mark had said.

"Oh." She said after a few minutes. "Why didn't you say so earlier? We could have left ages ago."

"What do you mean?"

She pointed her cheese-covered finger in the direction of Mimi's mattress.

"There's a letter under there." She stated.

Mark looked at Maureen like he didn't believe her, but walked over to where she'd gestured anyway. His search had come up with nothing. It wouldn't hurt to look.

Sure enough, under the mattress, there lay a crinkled envelope with the name Roger scrawled on in Mimi's handwriting.

"How long have you known that this was here?" Asked Mark.

The girl shrugged.

"Since we walked in." She explained. "When you live with a control freak like Joanne, you start to notice little out-of-the-place things like that."

That was another change that had taken place after Angel had … Joanne and Maureen had gotten back together and tried to make it work again. They were doing alright, so far.

Mark turned the sealed envelope over in his hand, studying Roger's name.

Roger.

He'd want to know about this.

Leaving Maureen behind to follow, Mark left Mimi's place and went back up to the loft.

His footsteps sounded eerily loud in the otherwise silent staircase - Maureen hadn't immediately followed him, instead choosing to bask in some of the girl's night's she'd had with Mimi.

He had a call to make.

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Roger walked into the appointed café a little later than the time they had arranged. Feeling out of place, he frantically looked around for Mr Turner.

"Can I help you, sir?" A pretty blonde woman wearing a café uniform asked him, twirling a strand of hair around her finger flirtatiously.

"Oh," Roger barely spared her a second glance. She held nothing to Mimi. "No, I'm alright. I'm just looking for someone."

The girl was obviously put out.

"Hey," she said, trying again. "Don't I know you?"

His mind just went back to Mimi, and the night they first met.

"I don't think so." Roger replied darting glances all around the shop, desperate to find Mr Turner.

"Hmmm." She just wouldn't get the hint. "Oh, I know! Do you perform at the bar on the other side of town, sometimes?"

Roger nodded, finally having spotted the man he was looking for.

"Aha." She cried. "I knew it. You're really good."

"Thanks." Roger said monotonously, making it clear that he didn't want to talk to her. "I've found who I was looking for now. Excuse me."

Then he walked away without another word, dodging his way through tables and chairs to reach the man he really needed to talk to quicker.

"Hey." Roger greeted shaking the other man's offered hand. "Thanks for meeting me."

"That's alright," came Mike's reply as he offered Roger the seat opposite him.

"And I'm sorry I'm late," Roger apologised as he sat down. "I lost track of the time. And then I kind of got held up over there."

"It's alright," Mike repeated taking a sip of his coffee. "But other's might not be so understanding. Time is very important in this business."

"Yeah, I know." Roger replied running a hand through his hair nervously. "Actually, that's something that I wanted to talk to you about."

Mike's eyebrow went up.

"Oh?" He asked. "And what's that?"

"Time."

Mike gestured for Roger to continue.

"I was just wondering if you could tell me how long this whole recording a demo business would take."

Mike thought about it for a moment before he answered Roger's question.

"Well, you have to choose a song and then there's studio time as well as editing. I'd say about Christmas to New Year. And that would be for just the one song."

Roger's face paled.

"Is there a problem with that?"

"It's just," Roger paused, wondering how much he should tell the other man. "I received some news from New York yesterday and I'm thinking about what I should do about it. About whether I should go back or not. I think Christmas might be too late."

Roger swallowed.

'God, I hope not.'

"I see." Mike thought over his possible-client's situation.

"Well," he said finally. "It looks like you have a decision to make."

"Yeah," Roger agreed standing up and shaking Mike's hand in thanks before leaving the café and dodging the girl from earlier.

The meeting had been short, but long enough to tell Roger that, if he stayed, there was a chance that he wouldn't be home in time to ensure Mimi's survival. And he didn't want to think about that possibility.

He did have things to think about, though. And he needed to make a decision soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**A.N - Hey guys. Hope you like this chapter. I do at least. And thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. It means so much to me. :D

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Chapter 4

He had been staring at the messy page for what seemed like hours.

Roger needed to write this song. The quicker he wrote it, the quicker it could be recorded. Then he could go home.

He still wasn't sure whether to go home or not but he figured he should write the song, just in case.

He shut his eyes tightly, hoping the right words would come to him.

As usual, he could only see Mimi. This time it was Mimi on the day at Angel's funeral - when they said goodbye. He remembered every little detail about that moment. Her eyes especially. They had looked so wide, so sad, so full of emotion when he had walked away from her and left for Santa Fe.

His eyes snapped open and he opened his notebook to a random, clean page.

_Your Eyes _he wrote in his rushed script, determined to get everything down before he lost his train of thought. It felt right to him. Writing a song for Mimi.

He paused, chewing on his pen, as he thought about how to word the next line.

_As you watched me leave. _

"No." He said to himself scribbling out the line whilst inwardly slapping himself. "That's stupid. It doesn't fit."

Roger sighed, his eyes falling shut once again.

When they had said goodbye to each other, it had been the hardest day of his life.

Wait.

He wrote down the words that jumped into his head.

_As we said our goodbye's._

_Can't get them out of my mind -_

The phone ringing cut through his artistic breakthrough.

"Hello?" He answered focusing on the words he had already written and thinking up the music that could accompany it.

"Finally!" Came the voice from the other end.

"Mark?"

He didn't know why he'd been expecting anyone else, really.

"You realise," Mark sounded angry, "that you never actually gave me the name of where you were staying, right?"

"Um -"

"Or a number in which to contact you?"

Roger smiled. Oh yeah. He knew he'd forgotten something.

"I have been ringing up every hotel in Santa Fe looking for you." Mark continued his rant. "Do you know how many hotels there are in that city?"

Roger chuckled.

"I'm sorry," he laughed down the phone. "I didn't think that you'd actually need to call me."

"Really?" Mark asked sarcastically indicating that he knew Roger's thoughts had been somewhere along that line.

Roger rolled his eyes at his best friend's remark, even though he couldn't be seen.

"Must've been important though," roger thought out loud. "Otherwise you wouldn't have tried so hard to get hold of me."

Then his gaze focused on the page he'd been doodling odd words on - possibilities for the song he had started to write - and he remembered asking Mark to ring him if he had any news.

"Mimi?" Roger asked almost hysterically, all the humour now gone fro his tone.

"Still no sign." Mark spoke sadly. In the months Roger and Mimi had been together, Mark had become quite fond of the girl that was no missing.

"Then," Roger was puzzled, "why go to such great lengths to find me?"

Roger's gaze travelled towards the window as he asked this question, the moonlight he saw reminded him of Mimi. All alone in New York. _I wonder how she is._

He jotted down the word moonlight onto the page. He could use that.

"We found a note."

"What?" Roger stopped what he was doing immediately.

"Maureen and I," Mark explained, "went back to search through Mimi's apartment again. We found a sealed envelope addressed to you."

Roger swallowed audibly, scared of what this note might say.

"Have you …" He was stuttering and his voice was cracking. "Have you opened it?"

"No," Mark sat down on the couch sorrowfully. "We wanted to wait for your permission. It is yours after all."

It didn't take him long to reach a decision.

"Open it."

"Sure?"

"Yeah," Roger paused. "It could help us find Mimi. Open it."

Roger waited with baited breath as he heard the sounds of an enveloped being ripped open and a piece of paper falling out. Then there was silence as Mark was undoubtedly reading it.

"Mark?" Roger asked quietly, a bit hesitant of breaking into the other man's thoughts. "What does it say?"

"It says," Mark cleared his throat as he prepared to read out Mimi's letter. "_'Roger, I'm sorry but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't be strong for you when you wasn't even here to help me. I wasn't strong enough to stop. I'll miss you Roger. Goodbye.'_"

Roger felt tears wash down her face. Mark's voice had cracked when he read out the word stop. Which could only mean that Mimi was using again. He brought a hand up to swipe at his tears.

Please don't let her have given up. Please let this letter just have been a moment of weakness.

Mark stayed silent after he had finished reading it aloud, waiting for Roger to say something. He felt tears stinging at the back of his eyes - his thoughts mimicking Roger's.

"I got an offer, you know." Roger said finally. "To record a demo with a record company."

"Well, you should go for it."

"Yeah?" Roger retorted almost callously. "And what about Mimi?"

"Oh," Mark realised what was going through his friend's head.

This must be so hard for Roger.

"Yeah," was the response Mark received for his 'Oh.'

"You know," Mark began cautiously. "We could look for Mimi - like we have been doing - while you work over there. We'll call you as soon as we find her."

Roger smiled at Mark's optimism.

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course we would." Mark said. "We love her too, you know. Just not as much as you."

Roger laughed again, the sound sounding foreign to him despite having laughed only a few minutes ago.

"Thanks, Mark." He replied. "I'll think about it."

"Alright," Mark started, pausing before finishing his sentence. "Congratulations on the job, by the way. Bye."

"Thanks," Roger replied. "Bye."

Roger hung up the phone and turned his full attention back to the words he'd written on the page throughout the conversation. He caught a glimpse of the moon from the corner of his eyes.

Once again, Mimi's face jumped into his head.

He smiled as the perfect words jumped into his head straight afterwards, moulding to one of the word's he'd already written down.

_Where there's moonlight, I see Your Eyes._


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N - I'm so sorry for the delay - life got hectic. It's test season for my year at school. SATS which we got told we weren't going to do. Lol.**

**Anyway, hope you like.

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Chapter 5

Mark hung up the phone with a sigh. Poor Roger. He was going through a lot.

"What are we congratulating Roger for?" Maureen spoke loudly, obviously having listened to what parts of the conversation she could.

While Mark was trying to find the hotel Roger was actually staying at, Maureen had gone out to meet Joanne from work, where they quickly looked for Mimi on their way back to the loft.

There was only the three of them now, doing what they could to help find her. Four if you included Benny.

The two of them had arrived halfway into the conversation.

"He got a job offer." Mark explained wearily.

"Well that's great," Joanne exclaimed enthusiastically before catching the look on Mark's face. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess." Mark was avoiding their curious looks.

"Come on, Marky," Maureen pouted. "Tell us what you're thinking."

Mark sighed again as he thought of how to explain his thoughts to the couple.

"It's just," he began, "that this stuff always happens to Roger. April getting AID's, passing it on to Roger, her committing suicide, the drugs and withdrawal and then there's this whole thing with Mimi. Don't you ever think that maybe he deserves a break?"

Joanne left Maureen's side and offered Mark an awkward comforting hug.

"What was the offer?"

He pulled away from the tentative embrace and paused somewhat dramatically before continuing.

"Record deal, or something." Mark explained, not really knowing how the music industry worked. "A company gave him the chance to record a demo with them."

Maureen cheered excitedly.

"Oh my god," she exclaimed. "Go Roger!"

Joanne, however, wasn't so enthusiastic.

"That's not all," She said softly looking at the expression on Mark's face. "Is it?"

"No," he admitted. "I told Roger to go for it - it is his dream after all. Only … he's worried about Mimi. I said we'd find her and that he shouldn't worry."

Mark's gaze drifted out to the balcony, out of the window and over what views of New York City he could see from his place on the sofa.

"Only, I'm starting to think that we wont."

The women's eyes both widened.

"Yes," Maureen spoke seriously, "we will."

Joanne nodded, agreeing with her girlfriend.

Mark looked up at the girls' positive faces, then back out over New York City. Mimi is out there somewhere. Cold and alone.

He hadn't lied when he had told Roger that they loved Mimi - they did. For the almost-year he had known her, Mark liked the girl more and more. He didn't want to have to bury another one of his friend's so soon after Angel.

"I guess you're right." He eventually agreed.

"Duh." Came Maureen's reply while Joanne rolled her eyes.

"We better go looking again. I really can't bare the thought of Mimi alone out there."

The two girls nodded sadly, agreeing with Mark's statement, and silently started to wrap themselves up with warm coats and scarves.

They all left the apartment together, after Mark picked up his camera and began filming the walk downstairs onto the cold street.

"December 4th, 1990, Eastern Standard Time." He spoke sadly filming the soft flakes of snow drifting from the sky. "We're still looking for Mimi …"

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It had been a week since his conversation with Mark. A week since his last talk with Mike Turner. Seven whole days it had taken for Roger to finally make a decision. He was going to go for it. Record a demo with SF Records and be home in time for Christmas.

Sure, it would be a push to reach the deadline - especially since Mike had told him last week that the earliest finishing time would be Christmas - but Roger had to try.

He would have gone home. That was Roger's gut reaction - To go home and help find her. Mimi meant more to him then a job opportunity. He'd rather be starving and loved by Mimi than rich and without her.

It was only Mark's reassurances that they would find Mimi - and that Roger would be alerted the second they did so - that pushed him towards his decision.

Now he sat in a small café, warming himself with a Styrofoam cup full of coffee while he waited for Mike to turn up.

Roger had rang the manager up and alerted him that he would be recording with them. Roger had been given until today to choose a song.

Sipping his boiling coffee again, Roger's gaze darted towards the door in time to see his new boss, he supposed, walk into the building.

"Ah, Roger!" Mike exclaimed upon sighting the man, as he came over to the booth and sat down. "I'm glad you finally made a decision."

Roger looked uneasy and shifted nervously in his seat before answering.

"Yeah," he said eventually. "I had some things I needed to work through."

"Yes," Mike agreed, remembering their conversation from the previous week. "I remember. I hope things work out well for you."

Roger laughed dryly.

"Yeah, me too." He muttered to himself.

A waitress came over and took Mike's order while Roger looked around the café, drumming his fingers on the table, bored.

This café was cosy enough, but nowhere near as cosy as The Life Café back home. This place didn't compare with the amount of memories he had with that place.

_Joking around, dancing on top of tables, kissing Mimi, drinking with his friends._

Every thought he had drifted back to Mimi eventually.

"So," Mike's voice startled him. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"

"Yeah, I want to get started as soon as possible," Roger agreed.

Mike nodded in response, knowing the boy had his reasons.

"Well, first things first," He paused to take a sip of his recently brewed coffee. "Have you chosen a song?"

"I have."

Roger thought back to the song he'd started writing last week. He'd agonised over it for days, scratching out words and pushing in new ones, rearranging the order of the lines until finally he had - what he thought - was a perfect song.

"Do you have it with you?"

Roger thanked whoever was listening that he had actually chosen to bring his notebook with him to this meeting.

"Yeah," he said fishing around his old backpack. "Hang on a second."

Roger slid the notebook across the table - once he'd found it - towards the man who could make his one dream come true and watched intently as the man read it, trying to read his expression.

"Wow," Mike finally said after reading through the words twice. "This song is filled with such passion, such raw emotion. It's remarkable!"

Roger shrugged off the praise, not used to it and not wanting to explain to the other man why he felt those things. It was personal.

"Have you got a title for it?" Mike either didn't notice, or didn't acknowledge, Roger's discomfort. Either way, Roger was glad.

The man thought over his words in his head, the guitar accompaniment he'd thought up automatically playing in the background.

A grin spread across his face as Roger flipped his hair out of his face.

"Yeah," He smiled. "It's called Your Eyes."


	6. Chapter 6

**A.N - Thanks for all your reviews. I'm sorry if I didn't reply - I'll make sure to from now on.**

**I feel that this chapter is a bit forced but meh, make up your own mind.

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**

Chapter 6

The next three weeks passed in a blur for Roger. A tiring, ever-lasting blur.

He had spent practically every day in a cramped studio, singing his song over and over and over again. Roger had fast learned that the music business was rough. Every time he'd started singing, he'd been stopped and asked to change it - a suggestion here, add a guitar rift there.

By the time December 23rd rolled around Roger was more then ready for a few days off.

His recording was far from finished - at least according to the staff over at SF Records. To Roger, the song was as good as it was going to get.

He ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his bleary eyes as he waited for his bus to start boarding people.

Roger was going back to New York for Christmas. To see Mark and Collins - who was also returning to the city - as well as every one else.

As far as Roger had been told, Mimi was still missing.

And every time he thought about her alone and cold his heart skipped a beat and clenched painfully in his chest.

"Bus Number 241 to New York City, leaving in 15 minutes."

A static voice broke over the silence of the bus station. It was, more or less, empty, everyone having already gone home for the holidays.

Roger sighed and picked up his guitar in one hand as he picked up his bag with the other. Trudging his way over to the bus, he showed his ticket and sat down in an empty seat, pulling out his notebook as he did so.

He had never been used to having people tell him what to do in regards to his music. No one had called him on what he'd written in the past, except maybe his band in college but that was understandable as they were going to be performing too.

Over at the recording studio, out of the managers, vocal coaches, editors and whatever else, he was going to be the one singing. And it was only going to be _his _future career at stake. Not anyone else's.

Roger just couldn't see why they thought they had any input in his creative ideas.

Rolling his eyes as he thought of what he'd put up with since agreeing to the entire thing, Roger studied his notebook and the original version of his song.

It was so much better, in his opinion.

As he read over the words, Roger remembered the many memories that had washed over him as he wrote the song.

'_The Night You Came Into My Life'_

He remembered that night with such clarity. She had come up to his room, asking for a light. That was basically all it had taken for him to start falling for her.

'_Why does distance make us wise?'_

He didn't know. He only knew that being so far away from her - in Mimi's time of need - had practically killed him knowing that he could do nothing to help.

'_You were the song all along_

_And before the song dies_

_I should tell you, I should tell you_

_I have always loved you'_

And he had. Roger had always loved Mimi. The song he wanted to write so much - the song he wanted to leave his mark upon the world - was destined to be about her. Because he loved her.

Roger closed his eyes as the memories washed over him once again. A small smile graced his lips at the thought of going home and finally doing something productive to help find her.

He was going home.

--------------

Roger jerked awake as the bus screeched to a stop at the station in New York.

Shaking his head to clear the drowsiness that still lingered, Roger filed off with the rest of the passengers who were all as tired as he was from the long journey.

He hadn't told Mark he was coming home, instead wanting to make it a surprise.

Making sure he had all of his bags, Roger began the short trek to the loft, which wasn't far away.

Taking in the New York sights after having been gone for almost two months, Roger couldn't help but smile. He was home again.

Finally reaching the apartment, Roger took out his key and opened the door before walking in and putting his stuff down.

Smiling he looked around the strangely empty room. Their apartment was normally the one everyone met at before going out and such. It was unusual for it to be empty, even at this time.

"Mark?" He called out trying to locate his best friend. It was quite late and Mark had never been one to stay out all night. "Mark are you here?"

A person appeared to the left of Roger, scratching his head tiredly as he squinted to get a clearer look at who had woken him up.

"It's two in morning," came Mark's voice. "I'm trying to sleep!"

"Mark!" Roger called over before adding jokingly, "Wearing your glasses would help you recognise me, you know."

"Roger?" Mark disappeared into the room he'd come from only to re-appear a minute later pushing his glasses up his nose. "Roger! You're here."

"Yeah," Roger went over and pulled Mark into a friendly hug, which he happily returned. "Recording was a bitch. Wanted to come home for Christmas."

Roger shrugged.

"Oh yeah," Mark said sitting down on the couch. "How's that demo going?"

Roger groaned.

"It's not," He stated simply. "Everyone's trying to get me to change it."

Mark winced, knowing that Roger didn't like other people pushing into his song writing.

"Ouch."

Roger nodded, agreeing.

"Well," Mark broke the comfortable silence that had settled between the two. "As much as I'd like to talk, I'd like to sleep more, considering the time."

Roger laughed, "Yeah, sorry about that." He said. "Just happy to be here I guess. Where is everyone, anyway?"

Mark rolled his eyes.

"See you in the morning, Roger." He called as he made his way back into his bedroom, dismissing Roger's question.

"Sweet dreams," Roger called back mockingly as he stood up to make his way into his old room.

Collapsing on the bed Roger had time to briefly compare the feeling of being in his old bed to that of staying in the stiff hotel one back in Santa Fe - his bed beat the hotel one by far - before falling asleep once again.


	7. Chapter 7

**A.N - I'm going to wrap this story up soon. Hope you like this chapter even though I know that it has probably been portrayed differently a million times.

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**

When Mark woke up the next morning, he wondered if he had dreamed about Roger coming home. Not that he normally dreamed about his friend, it was just the situation was really surreal.

Scratching his head, Mark walked out of his bedroom and into the main area of the loft.

He smelt coffee brewing and heard the rustle of a newspaper.

"Morning," Roger said, sipping a cup of coffee.

"Roger," Mark was shocked. He really hadn't been dreaming last night. "You're home?"

Roger smiled and nodded.

"We covered this last night," he added teasingly.

"How've you been?" Mark asked, hugging Roger and clapping him on the back.

"Alright," Roger replied with a shrug. "You?"

"Never better."

Roger nodded and went back to reading the newspaper. He'd been up for a while already.

Mark sleepily went about making himself a cup of coffee while Roger watched his slurred movements in amusement.

"Want some help?" He asked when Mark missed his cup when it came to adding sugar.

"I'm fine," Mark gritted out.

Roger shrugged.

"Got any plans for today then?"

Mark stopped what he was doing for a second. Yes, he did have plans. Plans to go searching for Mimi with Joanne and Maureen.

"Um," Mark replied. "Not really. I was going to set up the projector - I finished my film."

"Really? That's great!" Roger said happily before his voice turned sombre. "Any news about Mimi?"

And that was the real reason Roger had come home so soon, Mark realised with a sigh.

"No," he admitted. "We're going to go and look for her today."

"I'm coming with." Roger set the newspaper down and stood up to face Mark.

"Yeah," he muttered. "I thought so."

Deciding to ignore Mark's reluctance to let him help find Mimi, Roger instead decided to quiz Mark on what everyone else had been up to while he was away.

"Maureen and Joanne haven't been up to anything new," Mark told Roger as they both sat down on the couch, empty mugs scattered around them. "Collins is coming back today."

Roger laughed remembering what had happened on this day last year when Collins came back. It seemed so long ago.

"That'll be cool." Roger said instead.

The two remained in silence as the phone rang twice before cutting to answer phone.

"Speeeeeeeeak."

"Mark, it's me, Joanne. Just phoning to remind you about our plans today. I know you're there so either pick up the phone or call me."

Before Joanne could say bye, Roger snatched the phone off it's cradle.

"Finally," Joanne breathed into the phone. "Mark Cohen, you are the worst for answering the phone."

"Hey, Joanne." Roger laughed.

"Roger!" She exclaimed. "You're home! When did you get in?"

"Last night. Early this morning," he admitted. "Depends on which way you look at it. Is it alright if I join you and Mark with your plans today?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, Jo." He drawled into the phone.

He heard her laugh on the other side of the line.

"See you later."

Roger hung up the phone and smiled over at his room mate and best friend. It was good to be home.

-----

The rest of the day consisted of wasted search around Alphabet City for Mimi and the reunion of Collins with the male fraction of the Bohemians.

Now, the three men that made up the group were hanging around the loft. Mark was setting up his projector while Collins and Roger were talking.

"How's that recording going, Mr Big-Star." Collins asked his friend.

Roger laughed.

"It's … interesting." He settled for saying. "Very demanding, also. It's a tough business."

"Try teaching." Came Collins' ready reply.

Both men were laughing when they heard a shout from the ground floor.

"Mark!" Maureen shouted up at their open window as the three men ran towards the fire escape. "Roger! Anyone?"

They looked down and saw Mimi lying motionless in Joanne's arms.

"Mimi," Roger whispered full of guilt. Guilt for leaving her and for staying up here when she was down there in need of help.

Without wasting another second, Roger turned and sprinted down the stairs, Collins and Mark close behind him.

Working together, the Bohemians managed to get Mimi to the loft and set her down on the table. An ambulance had been called for and now the group sat helpless around the sick girl as Roger sat next to her, holding her hand and singing to her.

"I got a record deal, baby." He whispered to her, his voice full of pain. "They're recording my song. It might even get released."

Roger swallowed deeply as Mimi smiled weakly up at him and squeezed his hand in the faintest of touches.

"And it's because of you," he continued. "I wrote the song for you, and now it will become my One Song Glory. But it will mean nothing to me if you don't get to hear it."

Mimi's lips moved soundlessly, repeating the same word over and over again. Roger had to lean in close to be able to hear the word that rested on her tongue.

"Sing."

With a smile Roger kissed her forehead and began singing to her.

He sang to her a song that could have only have come from the bottom of his heart. It's words were painfully beautiful and it's melody haunting.

Mimi struggled to stay awake long enough to hear it all.

'_I should tell you, I should tell you_

_I have always loved you_

_You can see it in my eyes.'_

With the faintest twitch of her lips, Mimi looked at Roger for a long time, hoping desperately that her eyes conveyed the same message to him.

I love you, rang through her mind. She wanted the words to come out but she was just too weak. She really hoped that he knew she did.

Finally, her eyes fell shut and he body went limp, Roger's song ringing through her eyes up until the very second she lost consciousness.

Roger's anguished cry of _'Mimi' _brought tears to the eyes of the surrounding Bohemians as the sounds of sirens filled the silence that followed.

It didn't matter. They were too late.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Tears stung Roger's eyes as he looked down at the lifeless body of the woman he loved.

"Mimi," he whispered in despair as he dropped his head and a tear meandered its way down his cheek.

The room was silent save his laboured breaths.

Mark stood up then and walked towards his broken, best friend.

"Roger," he said clapping a hand lightly down on his shoulder. "We should leave her."

"No." Roger shrugged off Mark's touch. "I'm not going to."

He searched her face again.

_Mimi, _he thought, _I love you so much Mimi. I'll miss you._

Her small hand lay limp off the table. Roger collected it in his and raised it to his mouth to kiss her knuckles.

Her fingers twitched.

Roger dropped the hand in shock, staring down at Mimi's features desperate for another sign.

"Come on Mimi," he whispered to her. "Come on, baby, you can do it."

"Roger -?"

The rest of the bohemians were confused.

"Shhh," he hushed them, his eyes never leaving Mimi's face. "She moved."

"Roger," Joanne said softly, "sometimes when a person has, um, passed away, their nerves are still active and they'll often twitch or give some sign that they aren't really dead when they actually are."

"No," Roger cut her off harshly. "She's coming back, I can feel it."

Her face wasn't as pale as it had been, some colour was flooding back into her cheeks.

Mark looked down at the severely ill girl lying on the table in front of him.

"Um, guys?" He looked towards the rest of the group. "I think he's right."

There was an outburst of chatter all at once - everybody trying to figure out how something like this could actually happen. Roger tuned them all out, focusing all of his attention on Mimi.

"You're almost here baby," he kissed her forehead, noticing that it wasn't as hot as it had been five minutes ago. "You're almost home."

Her eyelid flickered and she took in a deep breath before her eyes snapped open, looking lost.

Noticing Roger, and everybody else, looking at her in concern, Mimi sat up quickly and pushed the blanket they had used to cover her away.

"I was heading," she said in a hoarse voice, "towards a bright light."

Roger, Mark, Collins, Maureen and Joanne listened in astonishment as Mimi retold her story. That she had seen Angel and she had told her to turn around and listen to Roger sing.

"I wrote it for you," Roger admitted to her now conscious form as he held her close to him. "I'm so sorry for leaving you. I'll never do it again. I know now that you're more important to me then a song."

Mimi smiled weakly.

"I believe you," she whispered to him. "But I wont hold you back. You can go back to Santa Fe and finish your recording."

"I'm not leaving you again," he swore vehemently.

"I'll come with you," Mimi smiled.

"I like that idea."

Then Roger leaned in and captured her lips with his own. The two of them were oblivious to the fact that the other four people in the room all had tears in their eyes after witnessing what was said between them and their embrace. The only reason they pulled apart was that the paramedics had come to check on Mimi.

After checking her vitals and noting everything down, the paramedics announced that Mimi should really stay in the hospital overnight for observations.

Mimi winced into Roger's chest when she heard that and he quickly wrapped his arms protectively around her.

"She's staying here," Roger told them.

"She really should go to the hospital though, Mr Davis."

"She's. Staying. Here." Roger glared at the other man for upsetting his girlfriend.

"Urr," Mark interfered in the argument between the two men. "We can promise that she'll receive all the rest she needs."

Mark walked the two paramedics over to the door.

"She's not going to leave Roger, and Roger doesn't want her to go," he said in a quieter voice. "So I think you should just leave them be."

The paramedic looked torn in his decision.

"All right," he finally agreed. "But bring her in for a check up in two days time."

"Will do."

The medical services left and Mark turned around to see Roger and Mimi still held in each other's embrace, talking in hushed tones. Maureen and Joanne had wandered over to the kitchen and Collins had gone out onto the fire escape, probably for a joint.

"Roger," Mark called to him. "Maybe you and Mimi should get some sleep? It's been a long day for the both of you."

Roger smiled at his friend's way of putting things into perspective. The day certainly had been long. Mimi had died and come back again.

"I think you're right," Roger agreed, standing up and scooping Mimi into his arms as he did so.

"Roger!" She cried. "I _can _walk."

"Just let me do this," He pecked her lips. "It's been too long since I've gotten the chance to hold you."

Mimi relented and let herself be carried into her boyfriend's room.

-------

He couldn't sleep. Mimi had fallen asleep a long time ago and Roger lay awake, smoothing back her long hair.

He had missed her so much.

He kissed her on the forehead again and left her embrace to go out into the kitchen.

Joanne and Maureen had decided to spend the night on the couch, it seemed. He couldn't see Collins but Mark was sitting at the kitchen counter, staring thoughtfully into the distance.

"Mark?" Roger whispered.

Mark broke out of his daze and focused his attention on Roger.

"Hey, man," he whispered back, fearful of waking the girls. "When are you suppose to go back to Santa Fe?"

"Another week, maybe?" Roger admitted, not really wanting to leave the loft again.

Mark nodded and looked down at the counter top.

"What's up?" Roger asked. "You look kind of … put out."

"Nothing," he sighed. "It's just that, in all the commotion, no one had time to watch my film."

Roger laughed loudly, fortunately not waking anybody.

"I'm sorry," he said to his best friend. "I wont take any more attention away from you and I promise we'll watch it, well, later on today."

"It wasn't just you," Mark murmured. "It was Mimi too."

This time Roger's laughter woke up everybody else in the loft.


	9. Chapter 9

**A.N - Thank you to everybody who reviewed last chapter and I'm sorry that I never got around to replying to any of them. I promise I will this time. Life just got a little hectic.**

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New Year's Eve, for the Bohemians, was a cause for extra celebration. The fact that Mimi was still alive, even after her brush with death; Roger's record deal in Santa Fe; Mark's documentary being a huge success, even the fact that Joanne and Maureen had decided to try the life-partner thing again.

Yes, 1991 was going to be a good year.

The night was filled with champagne, fireworks and kisses. Seeing as Roger's last year's new year's resolution had been met, he made a new one : To spend more time with the woman he loved, as well as trying his best to release the best goddamn album of the decade.

Afterwards, keeping with tradition, the Bohemians went back to Mark and Roger's loft and lounged around.

"Roger!" Collins slurred after having drunk too much alcohol. "When you leaving for Santa Fe?"

Roger squinted at Collins trying to focus his eyesight into making the swirling mass of colours into a recognisable form.

"Santa Fe?" Roger's speech was slurred also. "Not tomorrow," his forehead scrunched together. "Day after. I think."

He paused to think about it.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "January 2nd. I need to start recording again on the 4th."

Mimi kissed him fully.

"And I get to go with you this time." She smiled happily.

"Mmm," Roger murmured, kissing his girlfriend again. "Yeah, not leaving you again."

"No," Mimi settled. "You're not."

"Don't want to."

They kissed again.

"Wahey," cheered Collins from his place opposite, swaying from side to side. "Someone's gonna get some."

The rest of the Bohemians whistled drunkenly as they all watched the couple.

"Yeah!" Called Maureen. "Rogey and Meemy!"

Joanne quickly pulled her in for a kiss also, leaving Collins and Mark to look at each other uncomfortable.

Mark had been the only responsible one, and was still slightly aware of his surroundings.

"Marky," Collins called. "New Year's kiss?" He asked jokingly knowing how flustered Mark would get. "Seems to be the thing to do."

He gestured to the two embracing couples that lay over either the couch or the table.

"Um," Mark spluttered. "No. No."

Collins laughter boomed through the loft, causing Roger to pull away from Mimi and glare at them.

"Shhh," he managed to get out between Mimi's frantic kisses up and down his neck and jaw line. "Trying to kiss m'girl."

He quickly returned his attention to Mimi.

The Bohemians finally fell asleep when the sun started to rise.

-----

Roger woke up to a pounding headache. Where Mimi had been the night before there was now a warm place on the mattress.

Swinging his legs off the bed in a move that was to fast for his hungover self to stand, Roger's vision swam dizzily.

"Ow," he said to himself.

He staggered into the kitchen where his girlfriend stood on tiptoes trying to reach the aspirin.

"Ow," he heard her mutter to herself. "Head … hurts. Too high."

Wincing from the bright sunlight that managed to shine into the kitchen, he reached over Mimi's head and grabbed the box of tablets for her.

She span around quickly into Roger's arms.

"Ow." She said again.

"I know," he whispered, even that being too loud for his throbbing head. "Me too."

Then he lazily kissed her, ignoring the slight pain at the back of his mind, instead focusing on his girl.

After that horrible Christmas was over, they took Mimi to the hospital, where the doctor's gave her the all clear. Ever since then the couple hadn't been able to keep their hands off of each other, considering that they'd been apart for almost two whole months, it was understandable.

"Ready to go to Santa Fe?" He asked.

"Let me answer when my head doesn't feel like it's going to explode." Mimi whispered back.

Roger would have laughed, if it wouldn't have caused him pain. Instead, he handed her the aspirin and filled a glass of water. She gratefully swallowed two and washed it down with half the cup.

"Now you," she said handing the objects over to him.

Roger copied her actions and brought her into his arms again.

"Good morning," he accompanied his greeting with a kiss.

"Morning."

Their lips joined together once again only pulling apart when Maureen woke up and wandered into the kitchen from the main space where she'd spent the night.

"Ugh," she whispered disgustedly, clutching a hand to her head. "Give it a rest. I can't take such displays at this time."

Roger, who was already feeling better, laughed, causing Maureen to wince.

"Yeah," he spoke loudly, purposefully annoying her. "You and Joanne were just as bad last night. And it's two in the afternoon."

She shot him a sleepy, painful glare that made her head throb.

"I hate you." She whispered angrily.

"Hey!" Mimi kissed Roger's shoulder. "That's my boyfriend you're talking about!"

Maureen rolled her eyes as she too swallowed down the aspirin and water muttering about couples that were too close.

It wasn't long before the trio was joined by the last three bohemians, all of which were complaining of a headache. Including Mark who had apparently drunk more then he thought.

"That's it!" He swore. "I am never drinking, ever again."

"Aww," Collins said whilst lighting a joint. "Don't say that."

Roger, Mimi, Maureen and Joanne all laughed at the embarassed look on Mark's face.

"Okay," Mark amended. "Maybe that was a bit overdramatic."

"A bit?" Maureen laughed. "And they say I'm the drama queen. It's just a little hangover, Marky."

Mark dodged everybody's gaze.

"I'm going to miss you guys when I go back to Santa Fe," Roger admitted, wrapping his arm around Mimi's waist.

"Yeah," Mimi agreed. "I am too."

"Well," Mark ventured, determined to make everybody forget about his exaggeration. "Is there any way that you can move to record here? I know that there are record studio's here."

Roger smiled slightly.

"I don't know," he said. "I haven't thought about that."

"Try it." Mark shrugged.

"Maybe I will." Roger smiled kissing Mimi's temple.


	10. Chapter 10

**A.N - Epilogue to go. I kind of lost interest in this fic, but I will finish it for the few people that actually read this. **

**I do plan on writing another fic sooner or later mind. It's just a question of thinking of an original plot. All thegoos ones have been taken by all of you amazing writers. xD**

* * *

The words were flowing effortlessly from his mind. Lyrics poured out of his pen and onto the page as Roger leaned against the seat in front of him on the coach.

They'd been travelling for about an hour already. Roger had started writing about ten minutes into the journey, only stopping when he felt something against his arm.

Looking over, he saw Mimi slumped against him, eyes shut in sleep.

Smiling, he placed a kiss on her forehead and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.

Leaving his friends back in New York hadn't been half as bad this time as it had before. Roger supposed that the reason it was so much easier to leave them was that this time he had his girlfriend with him. And he wouldn't be getting a phone call saying that she was missing.

Suppressing a shudder, Roger shut his messy notebook and leaned his head against Mimi's.

It wasn't long before he too was asleep.

----

The bus screeched to a stop in Santa Fe, the sun shining brightly through the window waking up the sleeping couple.

Squinting, Mimi looked up at Roger.

"Roger," she whispered shaking him. "Baby, we're here."

He started to move his head and murmur nonsense.

"Hmmm?" He opened one eye and glanced lazily around his surroundings. "Oh, right."

Together the couple left the bus and collected their luggage.

"Roger Davis?"

At the unfamiliar voice, Roger quirked an eyebrow and held Mimi's hand.

"That's me," he stated.

The man, who was wearing a suit, smiled.

"Mr, Turner sent me to pick you up," he explained. "He's requested that you let him pay for your hotel this time around."

Roger looked at Mimi, who was looking at her nails in boredom.

Finally, he shrugged.

"Sounds good to me."

"Excellent," the chauffer smiled. "Follow me."

Roger had his doubts about the man's identity up until they were led to the car. It was definitely Mike's. Roger had seen him driving this car after his studio time was up each day.

"Ladies first," the driver said, opening the car door with a flourish.

Mimi thanked him and climbed into the back of the car, sliding along to make room for Roger to join her.

"Careful of what you look at," Roger growled at the driver as he saw him check out his girlfriend as she had climbed in the car. "Especially when it's my girlfriend."

Roger climbed in the car and slammed the door behind him, leaving the scared driver to hurriedly race around to his door and begin the journey.

The couple in the backseat spent the journey to the hotel, kissing and giggling like teenagers, Roger always making sure that the driver knew that Mimi was taken.

They pulled apart when the car finally stopped.

"Oh my god." Mimi's jaw had dropped open in shock at the hotel they had stopped at. "There has got to be some kind of mistake."

The driver opened the door for Mimi again, only to be shoved out of the way by Roger, who had gotten out the other side and ran around.

"No," the driver said, shooting a glare at Roger. "No mistake. This is where Mr, Turner wanted you to spend the duration of your stay here in Santa Fe."

"Wow," Mimi was still mesmerised. "But it has to be at least 5 stars!"

The driver shrugged, and with a last longing - but discrete - glance at Mimi, he was gone.

Roger collected the two suitcases and carried them into the lobby of the hotel.

"Ah, there you are!"

This time the voice was much more familiar.

"Mike!" Roger greeted the manager happily. "Mike, this is my girlfriend, Mimi."

"Hey," she held her hand out for him to shake.

"Well," Mike took Mimi's hand and raised it to his lips to kiss. "You've certainly got a keeper here!"

"I know."

As Roger spoke he looked directly into Mimi's eyes, making sure she knew as well.

"Here's your room key," Mike carried on, giving Roger a small swipe card. "Order what you want, everything's on me."

"Cheers," Roger said.

"Really," Mimi added. "Thank you. You didn't have to do any of this."

"Anything for a lady such as yourself." Mike winked at Mimi, laughing when she blushed.

"Your room number is on the card," he told Roger. "And you're needed at the studio tomorrow at 11 sharp. We have an album of yours to produce!"

Ah, Roger thought. There's Mike Turner, the business man.

"Yes, sir." Was how Roger replied, mockingly.

Mike began the journey to the hotel doors.

"Oh, and Happy New Year."

Roger laughed.

"You too," he called as Mike left.

Roger smiled and turned to Mimi with a glint in his eyes.

"Well," he said smoothly. "How about we find our room, and stay there."

"I don't know," Mimi faked innocence. "I quite wanted to look around, I've never seen Santa Fe before …"

Roger motioned for someone to take their bags up to their room.

"And I'll show you," he promised. "Tomorrow."

Then he captured her lips in a kiss, only to have Mimi pull away shortly after.

"I was kind of planning on today. Besides, you have to work tomorrow."

Roger groaned and was about to relent when he saw the smirk on Mimi's face.

"On second thought," she said. "I'll stay here."

Roger smiled wolfishly.

"If you catch me, that is."

Laughing at the game she wanted to play, Roger counted to five before taking off after her, finally catching up to her in the elevator.

He kissed her again and this time she kissed him back.

"I love you." She whispered. "So much."

"I know." He replied. "I love you too."

Then the kissing continued and both participants were finally happy with the way their lives had turned out. It couldn't get much better for them.


	11. Epilogue

**A.N - Last chapter, it's short, i know, but I didn't want to force anything out. Rather just stop it while it was still believable. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed, and who stuck with me throughout. I'll try and get another story up soon.

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**

_December 25th, 1991_

"Merry Christmas!" Roger called as he walked back into the loft.

"There he is!" Mark pointed his camera at the new arrival. "Mr Superstar himself."

Roger looked away from the camera, made his way over to where Mimi was sitting and kissed her while the camera still rolled.

"Can we help it if your debut album got a gold disc, Mr Davis?" Mark continued.

Roger shrugged.

Christmas this year had been slightly better than the last, due to the more money that everybody had been getting. Roger from his album, Mark from his documentaries being televised; even Maureen had gotten a small role in a television sitcom.

"Not a big deal," Roger stubbornly insisted.

"It's not a big deal?" Mimi repeated incredulously. "Are you crazy?! You did it, Roger! You wrote your one song - as well as another 12 to go with it. You got what you wanted!"

"I got what I wanted," Roger looked straight at her, "when I found you again last year."

Mimi's cheeks coloured slightly. Roger smiled at her before leaning in to kiss her.

He still had his eyes shut when they pulled apart.

"Please," he started. "Do not tell me that you filmed all that?"

"Every second." Mark grinned.

At Roger's exasperated look, Mark rolled his eyes.

"Don't even ask," Mark said. "Because I am not erasing it."

"I wasn't going to ask," Roger informed. "I was going to steal it when you weren't looking."

"Please!" Maureen interrupted, hearing the last part of the conversation from the stairwell. "You guys know you're cute together. And Roger's just loving the attention. Haven't you gotten enough of that yet?"

"Okay," Roger stood up and looked at all of his friends. "Would everyone please stop making remarks about the CD? It's really no big deal. I'm the same guy, just with a bit of extra money."

"A bit." Maureen muttered, stopping when Roger shot her a look. "Fine," she relented.

Mimi stood up also and wrapped her hand around Roger's. She looked at all of the faces that surrounded them.

"A Christmas isn't a Christmas," she began. "Without presents."

"And alcohol!" Collins put in.

"Exactly!" Joanne smiled.

"What are we waiting for?" Mark.

Laughing, the six friends circled the small Christmas tree that they'd bought and began exchanging presents.

Things were finally looking up for the group, even the threat of AID's seemed to have died down for the moment, all of the victims of it having perfect health. Nineteen Ninety-Two was going to be a good year. Better then the last.

* * *

**A.N 2 - Of course it is, 1992 is the year I was born. Lol. Thanks to everybody for reading.**


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